MIT discovers a new state of matter, a new kind of magnetism

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Researchers at MIT have discovered a new state of matter with a new kind of magnetism. This new state, called a quantum spin liquid (QSL), could lead to significant advances in data storage. QSLs also exhibit a quantum phenomenon called long-range entanglement, which could lead to new types of communications systems, and more.

Generally, when we talk about magnetism’s role in the realm of technology, there are just two types: Ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism. Ferromagnetism has been known about for centuries, and is the underlying force behind your compass’s spinning needle or the permanent bar magnets you played with at school. In ferromagnets, the spin (i.e. charge) of every electron is aligned in the same direction, causing two distinct poles. In antiferromagnets, neighboring electrons point in the opposite direction, causing the object to have zero net magnetism (pictured below). In combination with ferromagnets, antiferromagnets are used to create spin valves: the magnetic sensors used in hard drive heads.

In the case of quantum spin liquids, the material is a solid crystal — but the internal magnetic state is constantly in flux. The magnetic orientations of the electrons (their magnetic moment) fluctuate as they interact with other nearby electrons. “But there is a strong interaction between them, and due to quantum effects, they don’t lock in place,” says Young Lee, senior author of the research. It is these strong interactions that apparently allow for long-range quantum entanglement.

The existence of QSLs has been theorized since 1987, but until now no one has succeeded in actually finding one. In MIT’s case, the researchers spent 10 months growing a tiny sliver of herbertsmithite (pictured above) — a material that was suspected to be a QSL, but which had never been properly investigated. (Bonus points if you can guess who herbertsmithite is named after.) Using neutron scattering — firing a beam of neutrons at a material to analyze its structure — the researchers found that the herbertsmithite was indeed a QSL.

Moving forward, Lee says that the discovery of QSLs could lead to advances in data storage (new forms of magnetic storage) and communications (long-range entanglement). Lee also seems to think that QSLs could lead us towards higher-temperature superconductors — i.e. materials that superconduct under relatively normal conditions, rather than -200C.

Really, though, the most exciting thing about quantum spin liquids is that they’re completely new, and thus we ultimately have no idea how they might eventually affect our world. “We have to get a more comprehensive understanding of the big picture,” Lee says. “There is no theory that describes everything that we’re seeing.”

Research paper: doi:10.1038/nature11659 – “Fractionalized excitations in the spin-liquid state of a kagome-lattice antiferromagnet”

In the middle of reading Ender’s Saga 4 – Children of the Mind on my Droid right now.

http://www.facebook.com/ababakar.octopuce.9 Ababakar Octopuce

Quantum entanglement does not permit FTL communications.

http://www.facebook.com/ababakar.octopuce.9 Ababakar Octopuce

Quantum entanglement does not permit FTL communications.

http://profiles.google.com/spencerteillon102 Spencer Teillon

I really hate these misleading articles that don’t bother to mention this when talking about quantum-anything

http://www.facebook.com/KeAahr Eruanion Nolaquen

Why not? Give a detailed scientific explanation please. If the quantum entanglement can be used to cause the entangled pair to vibrate across large distances, then you should be able to use it for comms. Sorry to say, but FTL travel is possible, based off the findings that both photons and neutrinos are capable of moving at velocities greater than the established speed of light.

Fullerene

“based off the findings that both photons and neutrinos are capable of moving at velocities greater than the established speed of light”

That is factually incorrect. If you’re talking about the experiment of two years ago, the bad results regarding the speed of neurtrinos was attributed to a bad electrical connection.

Your understanding of QM is simply wrong-headed.

SoloShootsFirst

You seem certain about quantum mechanics.

http://www.facebook.com/KlassiekeJongheid Samo Groos

Not electrical connection but the fiber-optical connection wasn’t put in right, and caused the deviation.

http://www.facebook.com/KeAahr Eruanion Nolaquen

My understanding is that quantum mechanics , as a form of math, was derived to explain the theories associated with Einsteins theories of relativity. Einsteins theory is widely accepted, yet it has a flaw, a rather serious one. It includes a paradox, something that would negate a great deal of it. There are other errors in the theory, including the speed of light in a vacuum, because it does not account for a gravitic vacuum, merely an absence of medium. There is a scientific theory that says that if an observed phenomena acts in a certain way, then all instances of that phenomena should also act that way, ergo, if gravity affects light at high ranges, then all gravity must affect light in some way. Yes, I did read the entirety of Einsteins theory of relativity and special relativity and I can only wonder how it wasn’t questioned at the time.

Eric Cassidy

You are mistaken, that is all. Read more, young padowan.

smhagger

Quantum teleportation allows for a particles spin state to be transmitted master than light. However, to interpret the data you must use classical channels which prevent information from being transmitted faster than light. Also, FTL communications =/= FTL travel. Use google if you want a more in depth explanation.

http://profiles.google.com/enigmav8 Chris Kleczynski

The only thing I got from your post was a cool new way to say NOT EQUALS ( =/= ) as opposed to the more standard ( != ).

Nekro

Not really a new way to say Not Equals at all, though, it is a way of representing Does not equal. The correct symbol for ‘does not equal’ is better represented with =/= rather than != (first I’ve ever seen that to be quite honest). Seriously, google does not equal symbol.

http://www.facebook.com/DMGregory Douglas Gregory

The basic idea is that entanglement introduces correlations between measurements made at two separate locations – but neither location gets to choose what those correlated outcomes will be. To see the correlation you’d need the distant observer to send you a record of their measurement and its result (by conventional, lightspeed-or-slower means) to compare against your own. Without this data to compare against, you can’t distinguish the fluctuations of your measurements from random noise.

teddy5

I actually didn’t realise it couldn’t be measured because of noise, that suggests we may find a technique to sift through the noise without the other measurement – as we have eventually in so many other areas..

http://www.facebook.com/DMGregory Douglas Gregory

(@ Naz too)
There is no “signal” because I can’t set the state of your entangled bit to a desired value for you to read. It will just be bouncing about randomly. All I can do is read its current value, with the knowledge that your independent reading will correspond with mine more often than chance.

So it’s not a matter of decoding information that’s present, but rather the fact that the information isn’t present at all.

For a more detailed description, search “No-Communication Theorem” – Less Wrong has a great breakdown.

Naz

I’m not in any means verses in Quantam theory, so forgive me if i misinterpret your comment. To Clarify, you are saying that it is the (in)ability to process the information on the other end that prevents the communication from being “FTL”?

Charlie

I see whachu sayin. If you aint got da aquipmant to do da annilizin wit den you aint really knowin if itz theoreticlie provable.

Frenchy Little

On top of what everyone else has already mentioned about why it’s just plain old not possible to communicate faster than light via entangled, particles, there’s also the additional fact that in order to make a measurement of the state of an entangled particle, the entanglement is destroyed in the process. So even if there was a loophole to get you around the speed of light necessary to actually correlate measured results with the source (there isn’t), you would only be able to use a particular pair once, meaning you’d need to ship out a large number for that form of communication to be useful, and eventually you’d run out.

But again, that’s a moot point since it’s not useful for FTL communication in the first place.

Conor Raypholtz

FTL is possible because instant is possible. Instant communication is viable, the interpretation of the data can be fixed all that we need is time and we should be able to stabilize the entanglement and we should be able to use other effects to remove background noise. FTL travel is also possible and there are theoretically viable options but its unpractical unless we can prove various energy saving method’s are viable. currently the best model can only push slightly more mass than fuel (pure energy) at “faster” than light (note this is without the time dilation from actually going “faster”).

also just a side note, by sending the message on 2 ep at the same time you can verify that the signal was sent by comparing your own results.

http://www.facebook.com/davidjfg David Falao Gjølstad

Of course FTL is possible.. This goes all the way back to Aspect’s experiments..
If twin electrons can readjust eachothers’ polarity instantly, then there is a possibility to someday recreate it on a bigger scale.

http://www.facebook.com/davidjfg David Falao Gjølstad

Of course FTL is possible.. This goes all the way back to Aspect’s experiments..
If twin electrons can readjust eachothers’ polarity instantly, then there is a possibility to someday recreate it on a bigger scale.

http://www.facebook.com/MindNuke Isaac Mayfield

it doesn’t have to; quantum entanglement could allow quantum communications which by definition (and in theory) exist independently of time/space and could therefore allow communication to anywhere in the universe and even extending to the multi-verse and other dimensions.

Nayt christensen

Weird I was thinking about this same thing reading this.

http://www.facebook.com/bobby.ashmore.5 Bobby Ashmore

After reading the ending that was the first thing I that came to my head. Long range quantum entanglement. Orson Scott Card you genius.

mebigfatguy

hmm…. qsls discovered the day before the world ends ….

Will

If you think the world is ending tomorrow please give me all your money now.

avava

As a scientist, when I read the statement below I lost interest in the rest and stopped reading.

“Generally, when we talk about magnetism’s role in the realm of technology, there are just two types: Ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism”

GrilledCheez816

Could you elaborate for the sake of curiosity? I’m a science journalist and am always looking for ways to not offend our primary sources.

http://www.mrseb.co.uk/ Sebastian Anthony

It would be too easy if he was actually HELPFUL! These guys always come around and just leave useless, inflammatory comments.

guest

Please check a Solid State Physics book, e.g. Kittel’s book. I think what he meant is there are also other types of magnetism: diamagnetism, paramagnetism in addition to ferromagnetism.

jhewitt123

I was headed down that road once upon a time, a little bitter, a little jealous of the glamorous and freewheeling sci writer lifestyle, so I became one.

As a commenter, it is surely his job to enlighten you about a matter that is quite literally 9th grade physics in many part of the world! If it were a matter of advanced knowledge, it would have been expected of him to actually provide the info/analysis, but seeing the level of info and you are writing an article about it, you should have done better.
And also, what part of that comment is “inflammatory”? How is a rightfully critical comment “useless”?

Tyler Casper

I wish I knew what areas of the world taught these concepts to children age 14. In the US at least, people don’t come across these topics until their college education, and then only if they’re pursuing a career in physics or engineering.

http://meelahi.wordpress.com/ Manzoor E Elahi

Bangladesh for starters. We might a third world country, but we firmly believe that science should be an integral part of academic curriculum. That’s the reason if you go to any US college and meat freshman undergrads, you’ll see students from subcontinents have a surprising grip on science subjects. Everyone else eventually catches up though.

xformers

I don’t know about your school system, but I remember winding wire around sewing thread spools, putting a nail in the center, hooking it up and learning about “magnetism” in 5th grade science class… Not to mention, the compass, magnetising needles and making our own, opposites attract, etc., etc.

I guess that was before I was 14 though. Ooops… Yea, I guess I need to add, that was almost 50 years ago!! Given my “screen name” here, I guess it had an impact on my life, in the long term…

http://www.facebook.com/WhoAreYouWhatAreYouDoingHere Chris Shakal

Making a simple electromagnet is arguably not the same as learning about diamagnetism, paramagnetism, ferromagnetism, and antiferromagnetism.

http://www.facebook.com/kyle.woznick Kyle Woznick

As a sophmore(10th) in the U.S., i personally do such research just be cause it interest me. I mean, i may not like like it particularly but i really love science… I would like to saythat they SHOULD be more comprehensive and teach more complex theories in high school, but sadly most students simply won’t understand it. Not to say its at a complete fault, but just they usually are not interested in such topics or simply do not contain the intelligence to understand things like this. Apparently I am an exception to “most” adolescents.

http://www.facebook.com/henning.micah Micah John Henning

The comment was useless because its intent wasn’t to help. It was obvious in prose that the author was unaware of other types of magnetism. This isn’t a scientific journal. This is an article which attempts to explain technical concepts to a wide audience which includes the layman. And you’d have to be ignorant to assume that all people should have some common, fundamental understanding of any given topic; we all have variating interests and experiences and there is no way by which we may judge ourselves as “knowing enough” to talk or write about a concept.

I think they created a word that contains initials of “lanthanides” names of the period table such as Holmio(Ho) Erbio(Er) Thoulio(Tm). Smith comes from the term ironsmith we use to express iron and “ite” is a suffix. They either used or created in lab materials of same quality that create strong magnetic fields at low cost, i suppose. What ever it is a new material of such characteristics is evolution.
Excuse if translation is not accurate.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003255676497 Adam Baum

I need a teleporter if I am going to be expected to work in Dallas while living in Fiji. Please step on it guys.

Strange, i’m watching X-Men and exactly a scene with Magneto was on screen when i have seen your comment.

Conor Raypholtz

no its always in flux he would grab it and then it would keep changing its polarity.

http://twitter.com/BrettForrest89 Brett Forrest

Fuck Yeah! SCIENCE!

breasty mcbreast breast

breasts

Conor Raypholtz

88 pervs 1 wrong click ;)

http://www.facebook.com/KeAahr Eruanion Nolaquen

So, with this new state of matter, is it time to recalculate the energy of the universe using new models?

Brent Cornwall

Juggalo’s everywhere have been vindicated.

http://GaryLivingston.com Gary Livingston

When will we discover the type of magnetism that will allow us to finally have hover boards and speeder bikes?

James Martz

Look up the ‘Meissner effect’ for superconductors.

Tyler Casper

From what I understand, “quantum trapping” (the term they use to describe the hovering effect Gary is referring to) is different than the Meissner Effect. Though the two are based on similar phenomena, and understanding one may help you understand how the other works.

James Martz

So I just looked up a video of “quantum trapping” only to see a superconductive disk hovering above/below a magnet. How is this not a result of the Meissner effect?

Either way, my primary point was: the technology exists… just instead of hover boards we have mag-lev.

Conor Raypholtz

hover boards don’t exist because we don’t have anti-bosons and we likely never will… unless you change the laws of physics

Tyler Casper

Considering it took 10 months in a lab to grow a tiny sliver of this material, we’re still leagues away.

TigTogDew

Them folk over at MIT are like really smart arent they?

usa-privacy.tk

http://www.facebook.com/casey.huddell Casey Huddell

oh wow I have just recently did an experiment with crystals that have paramagnetic properties for my high school science fair. so i find this pretty cool

http://irasciblemusings.com/ Bob Cronos

Looks like the pizza I ate last night… It was magnetically attracted to the toilet this morning…

http://www.birthdaygreetingcards.co.in/ Special Comment

Whatever you discover, we just need advanced data storage technologies.

:/ changing magnetic fields…. seems like there is a potential for power generation…

http://www.facebook.com/MarkRich1311 Mark Rich

I agree sir.

stuart

its all photo shopped!

http://www.facebook.com/MarkRich1311 Mark Rich

Anybody else think this could be utilized as a source of free-energy?

http://www.facebook.com/mason.kelsey Mason Kelsey

As a new state of matter, it should have a phase diagram such that it can transition to another state. If this phenomenon is unique to only a particular mineral or compound, it is not a new state of matter for matter but simply a unique state for a unique compound. States of matter have to be states potential for ALL matter and this article makes it clear it is limited to a particular subset of matter. I hope that MIT was more careful in their claim than this hack journalism.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=597189284 Christopher Boyd

That looks like an extra-delicious pastry. And it’s magnetic, huh? Who knew!

It may work, but like any solid material, the more work you put into it, the sooner arrives the time the material will alter its behaviour, be it crack, weaken in its chemical nature, build internal resistance to change, etc, just like a rechargeable battery. I’d be concerned about keeping the electrical/magnetic requirements of the matrix to very low levels, to minimize work being put into it per unit volume/temp/pressure/state. It looks like 3D data storage, meaning it requires exceptionally long life, resolute security of data, electrical insulation (protects itself from magnetic fields in the environment) and strong resistance to damage (how will it be packaged/presented?). Very interesting!

http://www.facebook.com/wolf.wynd.5 Wolf Wynd

There are already materials which “ultraconduct” at room tempature. These ultraconductors are made of plastic and exhibit Superconductor like capabilities to carry exceptionally high currents without generating heat i.e. 0 (Or close to) resistance.

Maciej Marosz

New Discovery Engineers from Poland evaluate new constant for Newton’s gravitation

please imagine that We have two atomic clocks
one near mass mR and next near mass mL

what You think ?
the same coordination system
the same speed V
not the same Time ??? WHY – gravitation forces not the same !!!

without gravitation our body not lost so many energy
near gravitation / far a way from gravitation can we live longer be Younger ???

http://profile.yahoo.com/FGSFKKT5KYUVUNUC2OAIBAZ6GA Shaggy Smith

If we combined this technology with DNA storage we could create supercomputers as small as a cell that could be implanted into everyone. Combined with contact lenses with screens and wireless transmitters, everyone could be connected to the internet at all times with no visual aides.

barrycarter

Been there – done that. Here is a link to a page on insect chitin levitation:

The bottom video on this page is quite a good illustration of biological superconductive behavior. Notice how similar the “jumping” behavior of the insect shell is to the jumping behavior of the jumping gold at:

Perhaps a flip flop,,of two separate quantum entanglements, can be used for knowing the state of the bit sent, and the bit seen,,as a form of error correction even if needed.

JJ

sorry to bump your roads, but you aught to read my book series with heavily reduced q.principality in Simbiotica, and adventitious light speed communication in Pentacoast (admits a revelation about the true life of the one and only Jesus Christ)

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